-LRB- AOL Autos -RRB- -- At the 2009 Detroit Auto Show , Chrysler , Mercedes-Benz , Toyota and MINI showed the world what electric vehicles of the future will look like . And the future of driving looks fun .

The Dodge Circuit EV can blast from 0-to-60 mph in around 4 seconds .

Those in the know realize that sometime in the future , the vast majority of light cars and trucks in the US will feature electric final drive systems .

The motors used in these systems will be powered by batteries , fuel cells , on-board generators , and perhaps even the sun . But this open issue does n't change the inevitability of this reality .

Given our current economic times , reality demands practical , tangible , and achievable ideas of what electric vehicles -LRB- or `` EVs '' for short -RRB- might actually look like . This is it ...

Chrysler

Three of the four electric vehicles Chrysler showed in Detroit , Michigan , were shown at other events and even to Washington bureaucrats . Each of these vehicles is a running prototype , not some pie-in-the-sky-we 'll - never-build that idea .

ENVI is the special group of engineers at Chrysler that develops the company 's EVs . To date , the ENVI group has developed four electrically powered models , each quite different from the other : a Dodge Circuit EV sports car -LRB- rear-wheel drive -RRB- , a Chrysler Town & Country minivan -LRB- front-wheel-drive -RRB- , a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited -LRB- all-wheel-drive -RRB- , and now a Jeep Patriot -LRB- front-wheel-drive -RRB- .

Chrysler promises to offer at least one of these models in 2010 , and three more by 2013 . AOL Autos : Dodge Circuit EV photos

Chrysler approaches electric vehicles with simple plug-and-play engineering . Every one of their vehicles uses similar electric drive motors -LRB- only varying in power output -RRB- , advanced lithium-ion batteries , and a power management controller . Each plugs in to 110 - or 220-volt household outlets for recharging .

The Chrysler and both Jeeps use an on-board range-extending battery charger -LRB- a generator -RRB- . This generator automatically turns on after the vehicle 's initial batter charge has been spent -LRB- usually within a range of 40 miles -RRB- , supplying extra voltage that give these three vehicles an estimated range of approximately 400 miles . The generator is powered by a small gasoline-powered engine that runs with exceptional efficiency .

This technology is similar in concept to what General Motors has shown in their Chevrolet Volt , a vehicle that should be ready for production in 2010 . AOL Autos : Cadillac Converj photos

The Dodge Circuit carries a larger battery pack and no generator , so its range on the charge it carries is approximately 150-200 miles . Its large battery pack combined with compact dimensions and the exceptional torque provided by its electric motor blast the car from zero-to-sixty mph in around four seconds , exceptionally fast for any sports car regardless of engine type .

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz used the 2009 Detroit Auto Show to showcase their Concept BlueZERO vehicles . The Mercedes approach was to develop one efficient body style , and then equip it with three different electric drive packages . AOL Autos : Mercedes Stirling Moss photos

Much of the hardware for the all-electric front-wheel-drive propulsion units is built into what Mercedes calls `` sandwich-floor '' architecture that the company uses on several production cars . The design helps keep heavy components mounted low on the chassis for better handling , enhanced safety , and maximized interior room .

All three Concept BlueZERO vehicles include electric drive and batteries . The E-Cell uses a large battery pack that is said to deliver a range of 120 miles . The F-Cell utilizes a smaller battery pack , but supplements the vehicle 's range with a hydrogen fuel cell . The fuel cell produces electricity to recharge the battery pack that extends cruising range to 240 miles .

The E-Cell Plus , with a range of approximately 360 miles , is the distance champion . The key is the on-board generator powered by tiny 1-liter turbo-charged three-cylinder gasoline engine . The engine and generator are located in the rear of the BlueZERO .

For the record , when you see photos of these cars together , the E-Cell is lime green , the F-Cell is mint green , and the E-Cell Plus is orange .

Toyota

Adding to its line of popular hybrid vehicles in the U.S. , Toyota just confirmed plans to add as many as 10 new gas/electric hybrid vehicles in the next few years .

On their way toward that goal , Toyota showed their all-new , third-generation Prius plus the new Lexus HS250H . AOL Autos : 2010 Toyota Prius photos

Important to this story , Toyota also committed to selling a battery powered electric car in 2012 for the U.S. market .

Toyota debuted what their all-electric vehicle might be at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show , and it 's an urban commuter called the FT-EV . The little four-seater is based on Toyota 's popular iQ , a car that 's already a hit in Japan . The good news is that the iQ is a real car , so the FT-EV will not be a glorified golf cart or a neighborhood vehicle with severely limited capabilities . The claimed range for the FT-EV is 50 miles .

As we went to press , details were still sketchy about the FT-EV 's running gear . As Toyota releases more details , we 'll bring them to you .

Mini

While standard MINI models like the Cooper are comparatively easy on gas compared to larger cars , under the ownership of parent company BMW , MINI is testing the limits of how green a MINI can be . AOL Autos : 2010 BMW Z4 photos

Perhaps following the performance of the stunt cars used in The Italian Job -LRB- 2003 -RRB- , BMW decided to investigate a battery-powered MINI . They introduced the MINI E coupe last November at the Los Angeles Auto Show and the car was on display again in Detroit .

The `` charged '' MINI E can run up to 150 miles on a full battery pack . Charging is accomplished through standard 110 - or 220-volt outlets . The electrified MINI weighs 600 pounds more than a standard MINI Cooper and because of the bulk of the required battery pack , the interior seats only two . Performance from the 204-horsepower motor equals the gas-powered MINI , with a 0-60 mph run in 8.5 seconds .

BMW will produce only 500 MINI Es for the United States -LRB- if it were easy to make electric MINIs , they 'd make more -RRB- . The limited-production run will be split between New York and L.A. on one-year closed-end leases . After the leases expire , BMW will ship the MINIs back to Germany for evaluation . This scenario mimics what General Motors did with their EV1 electric vehicle about a decade ago .

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Latest technologies debut at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show

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Chrysler , Mercedes-Benz , Toyota and MINI show what electric cars of future will be

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Toyota confirms plans to add as many as 10 new gas/electric hybrid vehicles

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The `` charged '' MINI E can run up to 150 miles on a full battery pack